Prepayment electric meter.



PATENTED MAY 29, 1906.

J; J. WOOD. PREPAYMENT ELECTRIC METER.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1v APPLICATION FILED JUNE-l2, 1905.

FIG,

WITNESSES:

PATENTED MAY 29, 1906.

J. J. WOOD, VPREPAYMENTBLEOTRIO METER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET}.

WITNESSES:

J. J. WOOD. PREPAYMBNT ELECTRIC METER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1905.

5 REBTEFBHEET a.

INVENTOR: WITNESSES: A

By 11 liar/ ays, 1/' v fwd PATENTED MAY 29, 1906.

. No.L8-2 2,091.

' J.-J. WOOD.

PREPAYMENT ELECTRIC METER.

- APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1905.

,5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

FIG.

WJIZTNESSES:

No. 822,091. PATENTED MAY 29, 1906. J. J. WOOD.

' PREPAYMENT ELECTRIC METER.

' APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 12, 1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

, FIG. /6.

INVENTOR:

. d M WIJTNESSES: a 7L 77M,

I By Aflomeys,

UNITED STATES PATENT 'orrrois.

1'0 a whom, it may concern;

Be it known that I, JAMES J (Woon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen and State of through the medium of inserted coins or the Indiana, have'invented certain'new and useful Improvements in Prepayment Electric Meters, of which the ,followingis a specification.

Tlr's invention relates to ski-called fprepayment-meters adapted to be operated like to count up acredit or prepayment and to be operated 'undercontrol of the measuring device or meter to count down or diminish the prepaid credit as the commodity is consumed. A prepayment-meterof. this character is set forth in detailinjmy application filed Decemher 3, 1904,'Serial No. 235,412, patented December 5, 1905, No. 806,722.

' My present invention is directed chiefly to electric meters having'a separate prepayment devicethat is -to say, where the prepayment mechanism insteadof-being applied directly to the electricmetenso as ,to be inclosed in the same general casing, is arranged more or less remote therefrom and inclosed ma casmgofits own, .so that it may be located at a 2 place more convenient-of. access for the cusinvention provides-improvements in the cirtomer than the place where'the electric nieter itself is located. With such separate prepayment devices the counting-down operation is performed through the operation of an electromagnet or the like controlled by a cir-' cuit-closer in the electric-meter casing operated by the totalizer and connecting, through aseparate wire, withthe electromagnet in the casing of the prepayment device. My

" cuit-closing means-andthe electromagnetic- 'rfiumthewo'i ally-operated counting-down I the prepayment :device.

My-inventmnran-ns:to reduce to the mini- .imposed-upon the elect-r10 mei ter in operating the circuit-closer and to {make theclo'adwimposed upon the meter as uniform a's'possible at all the d 'fl'erent stages of the operation.

It also aims to. reduce. tothe. minimum the Work to be performed by the electromagnet in operating the counting-down mechanism of the prepayment device and to render this work substantiallyalike ateach excitati on of the magnet; also, to prevent the possibility of erroneous operation and of interference in Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed Jiine 12, 1905.- Serial No. 264,850.

ing the meter and mechanism mainly in side e evation.

mech anism' of Iiatented May 29, 1906.

I differently to either a direct or alternating cir- "cuit.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings,

wherein Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustratrepayment device and their circuit connections. Figs. 2 and v3 are respectively side and front elevations of the separate prepayment device. Fig. 4 is a dissected front view of 1 the prepayment mechanism, showing its casing in vertical section and certain of the moving partsbeing broken or dissected away in order to show the counting-down or escapement mechanism in full. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section of the prepayment device, showin the escapement Fi 6 is a front view of the electric meter, the fr mt of its casing being removed to show the interior mechanism and the totalizer being partly dissected away to show the operative parts. Fig. 7 is a fra mentar-y side elevation of portions' of the e ectric meter, showing the application of my invention thereto. Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of the totalizer and circuitcloser removed. Fig. 9 is a plan of Fig- 8. Fig. 10 is a plan of part of the circuit-closer and its supporting-frame se arated from the totalizer, Fig. 11 is an en argement of the left-hand portion of Fig. 10, partially in section. Fig. 12 is a fragmentary front view of part of the circuit-closer, showing the weight elevated and ready to fall. Fig. 13 is a similar view showing the weight just after falling. Fig. 14 a rear view of the same parts, showing the weight in the act of falling. .Fig. 15

1610,18 mtwo difi'erentpositions. Fig. 2L

is a detached and partly-sectional viewshow ing the magnet of Fig. 4. Fig. 22 is a peri in any suitable way. mounted a rotative diskC, called the credit indicator, through an opening in the front of the casing.

spect-ive View showing adetail of this magnet.

The particular prepayment mechanism 1 shown in the drawings is that of my said Patout No. 806,722, with some modifications or improvements of detail, which are set forth in 1 another application, filed May 25, 1905, Serial No. 262,194, to which reference is made for a more complete disclosure of the details of the prepayment mechanism. In my present application 1 illustrate and describe only l so muchof this mechanism as is necessary to a comprehension of the features peculiar to E this invention. l

in the drawings let A designate the electric l meter, and B the prepayment device. The l electric meter may be of any known kind or type, the example shown being a well-known construction of meter having a disk armature a mounted on a spindle a,-constructed to rotate at a rate proportional to the consumption of electric energyand by its rotation to drive or otherwise control thespeed of any usual totalizing; mechanism or totalizer A for example, by a worm 6 driving a worm wheel I), Fig; 6, the spindle b of which by any suitable connection may drive the usual train of gearing of the totalizer. The electrio meter is inclosed, as usual, in any suitable casing A The totalizer-train operates a circuit-closer which at intervals closes a circuit through a separate wire as, leading to an electromagnet Q inthe casing of the prepayment mechanism which controls the countingdown movements thereof.

In describing the prepayment device B, I will, in so far as the parts are identical, use the same letters of reference as in my said patent. The prepayment mechanism is inclosed in a suitably-eonstructed casing B, which may conveniently be made in sections put together Within this casing is carrying numbers displayed This indicator is turned ste by step in one direction. through the medium of inserted coins to count up their Value to the credit of the consumer and is turned in the contrary direction to count down the accumulated credit as the electric energy is consumed. A spring D of numerous convolutions imparts a constant stress to turn the indicator in the counting-down direction. A planet-wheel E is carried ona stud e, fixed to the back plate of the indicator. This planet-wheel meshes with the central pinion F and with a large outer internal gear Gr.

The counting-up operation. is performed by inserting a coin of the prescribed size in a coin-slot K, so that the coin falls through coinciding slots in a tubular coin-driving barrel I and a coin-driven s indle H. The inserted coin is shown at 23in ig. 5. Then by turning the outer wheel J a half-turn is imparted to the barrel 1, and through the coin the spindle l the escape whcel a pin e on the saaoei H is turned a half-revolution, the coin then dropping out through a conduit L and falling into a coin-box M. The gear G being slationary, the half-turn imparted to the spindle H and pinion F causes the planet-wheel E to roll "within the gear G and carry forward its stud e, and thereby turn the indicator C one space, a ratchet fpreventing any backward turning. This operation is repeated for each coin inserted.

The counting-down movements are LUilr trolled by the magnet Q through an escapw ment mechanism. The gear-wheel G has external gear-teeth 70, which mesh with a pinion Z on ,the spindle of a gear-wheel O, winch in turn meshes with a pinion 0 on the spindle of an escapementwheel 0 having a pin or cscape-tooth m, engaged by teeth or pallets on the upper ends of two escapementdcvcrs or arms P and P Normally the cscape-tooth is held by the stopearm P. The release-arm P is connected to the elcctromagnet so that by the excitation of the latter the arm P is moved to the left and strikes the stop-arm 1", pushing it to the left so that the escape-tooth becomes engaged by the release-arm. Upon the demagnetization of the magnet the rclease-arm moves to the right and frees the tooth m, whereupon under the stress of th; spring D,( aeting through the indicator 0, planet-wheel E, gear G, and the escapcmrnttrain) the escape-wheel O is caused to make a prescribed cycle of revolutions (fifteen with the proportions shown) sufficient to turn the indicator C backward one space, so as to count down one number. To prevent too rapid motion, the escape-wheel is preferably geared to a fly O During the last turn of wheel (Y strikes a cam projection on the stop-arm l and moves it endilgh to bring its end or pallet into the path of the tooth m to stop the escapement-train. The release-arm I is frictionally connected to an operating-arm P, (preferably in the manner set forth in detail in my saidapplication, Serial No. 262,194, so that their relative angular positions may be readily adjusted. The stop-arm P turns loosely on the same axis, being retained in' either position by a light spring engaging it. The prepayment mechanism thus described is identical with that set forth in my aforesaid patent, with the exception only of the operating-arm P, which instead of being operatcd by direct engagement with the totalizer of an electric meter is in my present construction operated by the electromagncl Q For this purpose the armature Q of this magnet is shown as pivoted and h avi Ag :1 :i an 11 Q projecting from it which engages the operating-arm P" of the csca ement. Proferal l the latter is forked or bi rcated and the arm Q carries an antifrict-ion-rollcr 51, entering the bifurcation The-described prepayment mechanism is peculiarly advantageous for electromagnetic operation.- The extreme movement of the indicator doesnot exceed one complete. revolution, an automatic stop preventingthe insertion of another coin when the counting upm'oven ents have carriedit to the end of its revolutlon, so as to dlsplay the highest figure.

of numerous. convo utions and 'is woun .to a

- suitable stress, so thatthe forward or backward movements of the indicator through one revolution make no appreciable difference in the effective stress ofthe, sp Hence the pressure communicated 'througi the gearing orescaplement-train to the stoptooth m is practica y alike in all positions of the indicator. Consequently the resistance to the movement of the release-arm P, which depends solely on the friction due to this pressure, is practically uniform at all times, so that whatever be the position of, the indicator the electromagnet has a} ractically uniform work to do in releasing t e escapement. This work is rendered very light, because owing to the long escape'ment-traln the pressure of the springis greatly diminished by'the time this pressureis transmitted to the tooth m and thence to the release-arm, the mechanism being thus rendered ve'ryfsensitive and imposing'the least practicable load upon the mag-- net. Intact, the power required for operat ing the prepayment mechanism is all derived from the muscular effort exertedby the op--' erator in turning the knobJ during the counting-up movements, this power being stored in the spring and communicated therefrom to operate the escapement train during the counting-down movements.

' My invention avoids the disadvantages of prior prepayment mechanisms, wherein the.

counting-up movements turn the indicator to wind upa short spring the tor ue of whichv increases as each coin is counte u and the counting-down movements are pe ormed by an electroma net directly operating a tripping device 't e resistance of which varies with each different position of the indicator and the mimmum resistance of which, by

reason of its direct engagement with the indicator, imposes upon the magnet a. load many'times greater than that encountered with my construction. My improved mechanism substitutes an extremel 1i ht and uniform loadfupon the ma net f 1; also avoi f paratively heav and wide y-varying load of prior devices. any possibility of erroneousoperation in the event that the consumer should be performing the counting-pp. operation at the instant when the operation of the meter causes excitation of the electromagnet to perform thecountingdown movement, whi with the tripthe indicator and eause'jt to fly back to zero,

(This stop is not-here shown, beingde scribed in my said atent.) The sprin D is ort e com-. for the electric ener action: devices. heretofore used is liable to release thereby cheating the customer'to the extent of'the value of the coins already inserted and counted up. With my construction the countin -up and counting down mechanisms "enga e-t eindicatoronly through theplanet- '70-- whee E, so that they might operate simultaneously without any possibility of derangement.

I will now describe the circuit-closer, which is o erated by the totalizerA of the meter A. in igs; 6 and 7 this totali'zer is shown as driven from the worm-spindle If. by means of a driving connection comprising an arm 6 on this spindle and a crank-'b ion the initialor drivinglsplindle b of the totalize'r, a construc- 8o tion 0 permits the removal of. the'totalizer independently of the worm-wheel spindle; but any other connection between the spindles]; and b may be used or these may be constructed as one integral spindle. I have not shown; totaIizer-tram, which may be of any usual construction. On" the unit (or kilowatt hour) s indle orarbor 51 isfixed a gear-wheel .52, w 'ch meshes with a' inion 53 on the circuit-closer s indle 54. his spindle is' preferably carried y a se as rate frame 60,.which carries alsp the ot er arts of the circuit-closer. The s indle 54 is est constructed as shown in deta1 in Fig. 11,

its reduced .endsforming journals which turn 5 .in bearing-arms 61 of frame-60. This spindle as shown in Fig. 9, with their free ends over.

1 'ng the pin 70, so as to be rubbed thereby uring its rotation. The springs 72 rest nor- 1o mally against a sto 73,.o insulati material, and are lifted -t erefrom-b the 1n.'70 in its assage, as indicated inl ig. 4. The rubbing surfaces of the springs and pm should becoate'd with silver or other non-oorroding 11 metal, as-shown. I

In operation thespindle 54 is driven from the unit-arbor through the gears 52 53 at .such rat'ewith reference to theprioe char ed that the arbor ma es rzo a half-revolution eac time that the es'capefment of the prepayment mechanism has to be released toc'ause'the indicator Qto count down one space. The spindle 54 carries with it the ratchet-wheel 55, a tooth oi'wh'ih 12 5 pushes against the pawl 59, and thereby rotates the weight 57, lifting it from its lowermost to its u permost position. In Fig. '12 it has lifted 51c weight to its highest oint,

-so that uponadvancing just beyon this 1 0 point the weight will fall, sweepin through" a half-circle, the pawl'59 sliding idly around the ratchet-wheel and dropping into engage ment with the next tooth in advance, as shown in Fig. 13 where the weight has'c-ocipleted its downward movement 'and has haven carried by its momentum slightly beyond the vertical, which insures the correct falling movement on a nearly horizontal line interfore the contact pin touches the springs,

secting the axis of the spindle, so that in this movement the pin lifts and rubs under the springs 72', Fig. 14, thereby closing the circuit between these springs and sending a momentary current to the electromagnet. contact-pin is displaced backwardly from a radius perpendicular to the radius which intersects the center ofgravity sufficiently to insure that the weight shall, pass over the dead-center and'commence to fall be- 'so that this pin cannot touch the springs too soon, in which case thefriction might prevent the weight from falling. As the weight swings back-t0 the vertical from the position in Fig. 13 thepawl is at once reengaged by the ratchet-wheel, so that during the next half-turn of the spindle the weight is again lifted. Thus the work imposed upon the totalizer-train is practically continuous except at the instant when theiweight is fall- .ing, whereas if the spindle '54 were to make one complete turn to each counting-down movement the weight after falling would hang free while the spindle was executing an idle half-revolution, so that the spindle, turning at twice the speed, would do its entire work during each alternate half-revolution. l\'ly=inveiition avoids this disadvantage and equali'zesthe work by spreading it practically overthe entire revolution of the spinmore uniformly distribute the work. Also,

die. This construction also avoids the necessity of employing an extra counterweight to s incethe spindle54 has to execute only a half-revolution to each counting-down movement, it moves at only half the speed required if there were one circuit-closure to each revolution, and hence the pinion 53 which drives it canbe twice as large for/a given frequency of circuit-closures,whereby the friction is proportionately reduced;

My construction enables the rate per kilowatt hour to be easily and quickly altered. I To facilitate this, the frame '60 is made adjustable,so that the axis of tli spindle 54 can be set to varying heights to suit varying sizes of thewhm-l 52 and pinion 53 o sim- The -ply-' attain this object, the frame is formed with a. t'urried up ear or flange 62 ,fastened to the totalizeraplate bytwo screw? 63 and 6%,

the 'screw63passingthrough a round hole, so

that it s #rv'e's as ifil plybt' around which the be sw m-g. up :or downfto-bring the pinioi i. '53

into proper mesh Wit-liitli wheel 52', where.-

upon by'tightening the screws the frameis higher or lower rate' of p'ayment, it is neces' sary to change th e ratiobetweenthe gears 52 53, which for a gijvei raiige of prices can be .70 frame-60 may swin g, while the screw 64 .en gages a 'slot*65-, (which' may be formed in the arc of a'circle.around the screw 63,). so that by loosening both screwstheframe60may .held fixedly in this position." -To change to a done by changingionly'tl ie' inion 53 For" eXample,-if the gear 52 (w 'ch makes-one complete revolution tot'en ,kilowatt hours).- has one hundred and fifty-teeth the pinion '53 will have fifteen teethlforftherate of twenty cents per kilowattfhoun'or twenty teeth for a fifteen-cent rate, or twenty-live.

teeth for atwelvc'cent:"rate,or thirty teeth for a ten' cent rate. For lower rates it is better to use a smaller-gear-wheel 52,- To change v the rate, therefore, it is ordinary needful only:

to change the piiiion'53, and for this purpose.v

the officer who adjusts the instrument for an agreed rate is supplied with a suitable assortment of. spindles 54, having various-sizes ol' pinion 53. the screws 63 64 and drops the frame 60, or he may entirely disconnect this frame. He;

then takes the spindle 54' from its hearings, to facilitate which one pivotal end of this spindle turns iiia screw 66, screwing into one of the arms 61, so that by' removing .this screw the spindle maybedrop ed out of the frame. He then'slips off the s eeve 56 carrying he weight and exchanges the spindlefor;

one having a pinion of the required size, or he may force off the'pinion 53 and replace it with a pinion of the requiredsize without changing the spindle. :Hel'thenreplaces the sleeve onthe spindl'e'i,'puts the spindle into.

its bearings in the frame, andimoves up'the frame until the/pinioncoines properly into mesh with the gear wheel, whereupon he tightens the fastening scr'ews 63 64'. The fragmentary view, Fig. 15, shows-theframc 60 dropped and the spindle andf'weight removed. y, For some electric meters it is i'impracticm ble to mount the frame 60 on-the lower side of the totalizer,-it'bein'g necessaryto place it on the upper side thereof- In such case the separate frame 60 may be applied to the upper side of the t0titllZe1,S0-i1S to bring the inion 53 abovethe-wlieel5'l instead of'below it. g

In some cases, and particularly in a meter for alternating currents,it is neu-ssm'y that the contact beheld closed for a longe period of time than would-be all'orded during the To changethe rate, he loosens 1t desirable that provision be made for-a'pro-- longed circuit-closure. For this purpose I apply a retarding device to moderate the de- 'fscent of the weight, and thereby cause it to fall more slowly and prolong thecircuit-closure. "This construction of circuit-closer is shown in Figs-$16 to .20. The weight 57 is essentiallyunchanged, although varied slightly in sha e. Attached to the weight is a toothe; wheel 7 4;, which drives a pinion 75 on aspindle 76, carrying a fly or fan 77. The frame 60 has its arms 61 modified in shape to afl'ord bearingsforthe spindle 76 and by a downward extension 67 to engage a; stiifen ing-rod 68. A-screw-bushing 78 is provided 2 5 to formone of'the bearings for the spindle 76 .to facilitate'its-removal. The weight 57 is mounted, as before, on a sleeve 56; but this is prolonged, (seewFig'. 18,) and. carries also a disk- 79-,to whioh the pawl 59 is pivoted. The b'perationis precisely the same as with the construction .already described, except that ,the fall of the wei ht isretarded by the ne- "cessityof driving t e fan 77, thereby giving a prolonged contact. This retardation of. the 3 5 fall checks the momentum, so that the weight does not swing so far as .before ast the vertical," and hence introduces the liability that it might not swing far enou h to cause the awl to properly engage with t e next tooth o the ratchet. This hability would, be greatest when the frame "60 is tilted downward far enough to accommodate the largest pinion 53 required for the'lowe'st rateof payment. To

. overcome this difiiculty, I rovide a spring in falling sufiicient .to-carry'its pawl past the next tooth of the ratchet withany possible adjustment.- This sprin isa lea'f-sprin 80, preferably fastened to t e frame 60. spring. has a flat end portion 81, which asthe weight 57rises to about the orizontal is engaged byaroller 82, (see Fig. 19,) carried by the Wei ht-arm, and asthe weight, rises beyond this point toward the vertical it lifts 55 thes rin SQuntil on passing thevertical, Fig.

-20, t e ro ler 82rollsoff the flat ort'ion 81, so

that as the weight begins to fall cunveti or 'n- Y clined part 83 of the springacts against the ,rcller'to ive an impetus or 'forward-push to theweig t which accelerates its descent and assists it in starting the whirling motion of the fan.- The spring 1s of just sufiicient stiffness y to impart the necessaryadditional velocit to the weight to insure that in its fall it s all 5 carry far enough to make the reengageinent which gives an added impu se to the weight his of the pawl a certainty. The spring has another advantage in that it equaliZes the work performed by the iotalizer. In lifting the weight the worl; gradually increases as the weight approaches the horizontal, Fig. 19, and 7 o I from th s point to the top the work gradually diminishes. This diminution, however, is compensatedfor by the displacement of the spring 80, the stress of which gradually increases as the roller. 82 lifts it, its increase being. proportioned to approximately compensate for the diminution of the effective weight, during this portion of the movement. Referring to Fi 1, the springs 72 are connected, respective y, to the wires of ashunt :10, which extends from one of the binding-posts of the meter and includes the s rings 72 and the coil of the relay-magnet 2 and terminates at one of the binding-posts of the pre payment device. Any other, suitable ar- 8 rangement of a shunt-circuit or of an independent circuit may be used. It is preferable, however, to employ a shunt which takes current from the main circuit for operating the magnet. In the case of an alternatin 0' current circuit, therefore, the magnet 2 must be adapted to be excited by the alternating current under the varying conditions of practice. It is desirable to construct the magnet so. that it is operable indifferently by, 9 5' a direct or alternating current of any character practicallyused in order that the prepayment device may be applied without change to any ordinary lighting or similar circuit. To adapt the ma net'for use with alternatin Ioo currents, it is ma e with a laminated core an armature in any ordinary manner. The magnet is shown with a laminated core 85 of U form, Fig. 21, with an excitin -coil 86a plied on one of its arms or po es and t e armature pivoted adjacent to the other ole. The coil is wound with numerous turns of fine wire in order to insure the requisite energizing of the magnet on the lowest voltage likel to' be met with in direct-current service. f- 1 10 this same magnet were connected inan alternatin current service, the selfdnduction woul be so great, because of the great number of turns of fine Wire,that thealternating current would not sufficiently energize the 1 15 magnet. To overcome this difiiculty, I apply a band of copper 87, Fi 22, upon one of the legs of the core and wit u thecoil 86, so that .it forms a closed circuit of suiiicient conductivity to reduce the self-induction of the coil of many turns to such point that the magnet becomes effective notwithstanding this self-induction. This construction of ma net renders the instrument of universal ap ication.

, he circuit arrangement shown in Fig. 1 is a suitable ore, the line-wires being carried first to the m'eterand theme, with the slumtwire in to the prepayment device, from which lead-the wires whlch feed the lamps, as indi- 1 o I cated. The prepayment device includes, as usual, a switch T for shutting off the current when the customers prepayment is exhausted. Thisswitch may be variously operated as, for example, by the means set forth in my said patent. r

The coin-box M is shown as provided, as before, with a pin-tumbler lock engaging a pendent rod or post M, secured to the casing, and in addition with a seal in order to detect any effort to tamper with the. ock and as an additional precaution against the abstraction of the accumulating coir s.- hole 39 is drilled through the barrel 30 of the lock and also through its socket or casing 29, as shown in Fig. 5, through which hole is passed a wire 40, the ends of which are joined by a seal. As this wire intersects the keyslot, any effort to force in a key or otherwise to tamper with the lock is certain to be-either blocked by the wire or to result in severin the wire, in which latter case the attempt is exposed, or if the lock should be picked and the barrel turned this My invention is susceptibe of a considerable degree of modification without departing from the essential features thereof which are set forth-in theclaims. Although I have described in some detail the construction of ire avment device set forth in m r aforesaid l patent and application, yet it 1s not to be understood that my present invention is limited to the use of such construction otherwise than is recited in my present claims I claim as my invention l in a prepayment-meter, an indicator having a limited range of movement, a relaiivelv long spring therefor, adapted to exert a substantially uniform stress through such range of movement, a counting-up device for turning said indicator against the stress of said spring, a releasing device for permitting the return or counting-down movements of said indicator, and an electromagnet operating said releasing device, whereby the work performed at each excitation of the magnet is substantially unv arving.

2. In a prepayment-meter, an indicator having a limited range of movement, a spring of 1min turns therefor, adapted to exert a substantially uniform stress through such range of movement, a counting-up device for turning said indicator against the stress of said spring. an esmpemcnt-train, an escapement for permitting the return or countingdown movements of saidindicator, and an electromagnet operating said escapement whereby the substantially uniform torque of the spring is diminished through said train, and renders the work imposed upon the magnet very light and substantially uniform.

2 In a irepayment-ineter, an indicatorhaving a limited rangcor movement, a spring f many turns therefor, adapted to exert a For this a would shear off the wire and likewise expose the fraud substantially uniform stress through such range of movement, a planet-wheel, a counting-u) device acting through said planetwheel to turn said indicator against the stress of said spring, an escape1nent-train actuated fro said spring through said planet-wheel, an escapement for permitting the return 'i. counting-down movements of said indicator, and an electromagnet operating said escapement.

4. In a prepayment-meter an indicator, a spring therefor, a counting-up device, and a magnetically-operated escapement, the latter comprising an escape-tooth, a releasearm therefor, and an electromagnet the armature of which is connected to: and operates said release-arm. ,i

5. 'In a prepayment-meter, an indicator, a spring therefor, a counting-up device, a mag neticallyoperated escapement, the latter comprising an escape tooth, a stop-arm,.and a release-arm engaging said tooth, and an electromagnet with its armature connected to operate said arms.

6. In a prepayment-meter, anindicator, a spring therefor, a counting-up device, a magnetically-operated' escapement, the latter comprising an escape-tooth, a stop-arm,.

a release-arm engaging said tooth, an electromagnet with its armature connected to said releasearm, and a cam for operating said stop-arm in one direction, said arm being engaged by the release-arm to be operated in the opposite direction.

7. In a prepayment electric meter, an indicator-,a spring therefor, a counting-up device, and a counting-down mechanism com prising an escapement, an electromagnet operating it, its armature, the release-arm of said escapement, an actuating-arm connected thereto, and a separable joint formiiig a direct pivotal connection between said arm and the armature.

8. In a prepayment electric meter, a magnetically-operated counting-down mechanism, combined with magnet having a laminated core, an excitingeoil, and a closed circuit of low resistance adapted to diminish the self-induction of the coil and render the magnet effective on either an alternating or a direct current.

9. In a prepayment electric meter, a circuit-closer operated by the totalizer, com prising a spindle geared tothe totalizer in such ratioas to make a half-turn for each circuit-closure, circuit-closing contacts, and a weight loosely hung on said spindle, with means for elevating it during each successive half-turn of the spindle and thereupon releasing it and permitting it to fall and close the circuit.

10. In a prepayment electric meter, a circuit-closer operated. by the totalizer comprising a spindle geared to the totalizer in such ratio as to make a half-turn for each an actuating electros'22,o91' I 1 p t 7 circuit-closure, circuit-closing contacts, a

weightgloosely hung on said spindle, and a two-toothed ratchet and pawl connecting said Weight to said spind e, whereby the weight is elevated and released to each. halfturn of the spindle.

'11. Ina prepayment electric meter, a circuit closer driven by the totalizer comprising a spindle and circuit-closing contacts,

- ing a spindle-andcircuit-closing contacts, and

an adjustable frame car the totalizer-frame an around its pivot.

13. a In a-prepayment electric meter, a cirng them pivoted to adapted to swing cuit-closer driven by the totalizer, comprising for said spind ing a spindle and circuit-closing contacts, and

an adjustable frame carrying them, havinga removable bushiiqigforming one pivotal bear-' 14. In aprepaymentelec'tr'ic meter, a circuit-closerloperated by the totalizer, comprising a spindle, a Weight hung loosely thereon, circuiteclosing contacts operated by said weight, and an adjustable frame carrying said spindle and contacts. I

15. In a prepayment electric meter, a circuit-closer operated by the totalizer, comprising a spindle, a weight hung loosely thereon, a connection between said spindle and weight whereby the weight is alternately elevated and released, circuit-closing contacts operated by the fall of the weight, and a retarder connected tosaid weight for retarding its fall and prolonging the contact.

16. In a prepayment electric meter, a circuit-closer operated by the totalizer, compris ing a spindle, a weight hung loosely thereon, a connection between said spindle and weight whereb the weight is alternately elevated 3 and reea'sed, circuit-closing contacts oper-.

ated by the fall of the weight, a retanfer for the Weight to prolong the circuit-closure, and i weightin its ascent and Weight.

17. In a prepayment electric meter, a circuit-closer operated by the Itotaliz'er, comprisan accelerator fol-hastening the fall of the ing a spindle, a weight-h ring loosely thereon,

aconnectionibetween said spindle and weight whereby the Weight is alternately. elevated and released, circuit-closing contacts op'er- I ated by thefall of the weight, a retarder for 5 5 the weight to prolong the CllOllit-OIOSIIIG, and an accelerator for hastening the fall of the weight, comprising a spring flexed by the p reacting against the weight-fin its descent.

' "18.111 a prepayment electric meter, a. cir-. cuit-irploser' operated by the totalizer, comprisspindle, a weight hung loosely thereon, a connection between said spindle and Weight whereby the weight is alternately elevated165 and released, circuit-closing contacts operatedby the fall of the Weight, a retarder for the weight to prolong the circuit-closure, and an accelerator for hastenin the fall of the weight, comprising a sprlng having a fiat sur- 7o face engaged b the projection on the weight,

andan incline portion reacting against said projection as the Weightbegins to fall.

19. In aprepayment electric meter, a ciring a spindle, a weight hung loosely thereon, a connection between said spindle and weightwhereby the weight is alternately elevated and released, circuit-closing contacts operated by the fall of the weight and a spring en- In witness whereof I have hereunto signed 8 5 my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NVitnesses:

' FRANK McMAsTER, 'A. L. HADLEY,

c it-closer operated by the totali'zer, comp ris 7 53 i 

